The present disclosure relates generally to a kitchen appliance for popping popcorn.
Popcorn makers are well known. There are several different types of popcorn makers, which all work by heating unpopped popcorn kernels until the kernels pop. For example, hot air popcorn poppers blow hot air up through the kernels. So-called electric popcorn popper feature a heated circular tray with a powered stirring arm. Corn kernels and oil are placed in the tray and covered. A heater heats the tray and oil until the kernels pop. Hot air and electric popcorn poppers are popular for home use.
Another type of popcorn maker is the kettle popcorn popper. Kettle popcorn poppers are capable of producing large amounts of popcorn, and thus are often used in movie theaters and other commercial environments. Kettle popcorn poppers feature a large enclosure or cabinet, typically with a large access door. A kettle is suspended inside the enclosure from the top of the enclosure. The kettle has a two-sided hinged lid, with each side of the lid hingedly affixed to the kettle near the center of the top opening of the kettle. Unpopped popcorn kernels and oil are placed in the kettle. Heat is applied to the unpopped popcorn kernels and oil via a heating element built into the kettle. A stir rod rotates within the kettle to stir the unpopped popcorn kernels as heat is applied. The stir rod is rotated by a motor positioned above the kettle in the top of the enclosure. The stir rod is connected to the motor via a vertical shaft that projects upward from the kettle and gearing between the upper end of the shaft and the motor.
As the popcorn kernels pop, the popped popcorn fills up the kettle and then pushes up one or both sides of the hinged lid and exits the top of the kettle, falling into the bottom of the enclosure. When the popcorn is substantially done popping, the kettle is rotated approximately 135-150 degrees about a horizontal axis via a dump lever to cause any popped popcorn or unpopped popcorn kernels remaining in the kettle to fall out of the kettle to the bottom of the enclosure. In order for the kettle to be able to rotate in this manner, the shaft must be able to disengage from the motor. This is typically accomplished by having the shaft connect to the motor via two or more gears that are adapted to engage when the kettle is upright and disengage when the kettle is rotated. This motor/gear/shaft arrangement adds significant complexity and cost to conventional kettle popcorn makers.
In addition to the complexity of the motor/gear/shaft arrangement of conventional kettle popcorn poppers, another significant shortcoming of conventional kettle popcorn poppers is the difficulty of cleaning. Conventional kettle popcorn poppers are difficult to clean for several reasons. Popcorn and unpopped kernels that remain in the bottom of the enclosure is difficult to remove. While the kettle can typically be removed for cleaning, fixed electrical connections to the kettle prohibit the kettle from being immersed in water or washed in a dishwasher. Additionally, the two-sided hinged lid restricts the opening of the kettle, even when the lid is open, thereby making cleaning inside the kettle difficult. Conventional kettle popcorn poppers typically have a stir rod which is fixed to the shaft and which therefore cannot readily be removed for cleaning. Kettle popcorn makers have not been popular for retail consumers for at least one of the above or other reasons. As such, kettle popcorn makers tend to be utilized in commercial spaces.
It has heretofore not been discovered how to create a kettle popcorn popper that is capable of popping popcorn without requiring an overly complex and costly structure and which is easy to clean as compared to a conventional kettle popcorn popper.
The kettle popcorn popper of the following disclosure overcomes at least one of the above or other shortcomings of conventional kettle popcorn makers.